Any long term ecig users? with asthma?

[Rovey]

Hello, I'm new to this forum, I was hoping to maybe get some first hand experiences. I bought an e-cig the other day, so far it's been 3 days with no tobacco.

Basically one of the main triggers for me trying to give up was going to the gym and realising that it wasn't my physical fitness that was holding me back from working harder but my inability to breathe in enough oxygen, I kept feeling light headed and struggling to breathe properly, but my body felt fine and able to carry on. Anyway, i've tried the usual methods, cold turkey and patches in the past, but obviously I failed, then I came across e-cigs and thought i'd give them a try. It was the fact they deal with the addiction AND the habit in one go.

Right so here's my question, I haven't noticed any real improvement in my breathing, my chest still feels a bit heavy (I have asthma, I know i'm a dumbass) and I still need my asthma inhaler, I know it's only been a couple of days, I was wondering if anybody else had been in a similar situation, I'm not sure if my lungs don't like the fact i'm still breathing something in, even though it's not rancid smoke, or whether im going through that funny period where my body and lungs are still adjusting to not being so abused. I'm going to give it a couple of weeks anyway, but be nice to know of anyone elses experiences, especially those with asthma.

[Thulium]

Rovey, congratulations on 3 days smoke-free!

You should feel your lungs clearing bit by bit every day, although with your asthma it could take a bit longer than normal. When propylene glycol is vaporized as in fog machines and e-cigarettes, it causes the surrounding moisture to condense into the visible fog you exhale. This might cause you to exhale a bit more moisture than breathing normally, so if your throat is getting irritated, simply drinking a bit of water should help. I would also recommend trying a 100% Vegetable Glycerine based e-liquid--it tends to deliver less "throat hit" and flavor, but it creates a thicker vapor that is less irritating to people who are sensitive to propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is sometimes used as a carrier in asthma inhalers, so its unlikely to be a problem, but you should try VG at least to compare and see which works best for you.

[Rovey]

Im using the ClearSmoke ecig, don't know whether they do the vege stuff. I actually like feeling the vapour at the back of my throat, unlike normal cigs it doesn't make me need a puff on my inhaler so it is definitely better. I think this is working so far because I don't actually feel like i've given up smoking, i'm still carrying out the habit and fullfilling the addiction just not killing myself in the process, even had a few beers last night with a mate who smokes and felt fine using my ecig, no cravings. Still early days yet, but compared to cold turkey and patches this is a walk in the park.

[Thulium]

I couldn't find a lot of information about the ecig you have, but you can always buy the e-liquid separately and refill the cartridges yourself or (for better flavor and vapor, IMO) drip a few drops directly onto the atomizer. It is actually a rather simple matter to mix your own e-liquid to save money and know EXACTLY what you are vaping; and reduce or eliminate nicotine at your own pace if/when you are ready and confident that you won't start smoking again. You should start noticing your senses of taste and smell beginning to improve as the effects of smoking begin to wear off, its a good idea to keep some different flavors because many people find that their tastes change when they no longer smoke cigarettes.

[SnoopyFish]

In just 6 months of using my e-cig. I have gone from using my inhaler 12 - 14 times a day to 2 or 3. Before I was opening a new inhaler every 3 weeks. My last one lasted about 2 months.

Cheers,
Snoop.

[Thulium]

In just 6 months of using my e-cig. I have gone from using my inhaler 12 - 14 times a day to 2 or 3. Before I was opening a new inhaler every 3 weeks. My last one lasted about 2 months.

Cheers,
Snoop.

That is frickin AWESOME, Snoop! Congratulations on 6.5 smoke-free months!

My friend Cathy put it this way when speaking at the Pierce County Health Dept public hearing: "Propylene Glycol is in the asthma inhalers that I don't need anymore."

[cealeena]

How is exercise induced asthma different to regular asthma? My asthma only kicks in whenever I begin to run or jog, and it always last for the first 15 minutes making breathing difficult. But I refuse to use an inhaler and I push through and keep running even though the air going in to my lungs is tiny. After a while my chest loosens up and my breathing returns to normal. So how is my asthma different to regular asthma?

[sheilasdad]

Hi,

I've tried the e-cigarettes and they actually make my asthma feel worse. I am still struggling to quit and may use one again, but I find they make me want a real cigarette, so I don't think they are a good option for me. Your experience may be different.

Mike

[April]

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[DanniJames]

Caeleena, the difference is severity and onset. We all have different things that may trigger asthma, or it may be there all the time triggered by nothing at all.

Mike, I can't answer that for you. Anyone with asthma should talk to their dr. about it. I did better with a 70 % VG, 30 % PG mix. PG even though it's in the breathing treatments I get now, seems to have more of what they call throat hit and causes that tickle in the back of your throat from the nicotine to be stronger than VG does. Also, most people make the mistake of inhaling like a cigarette. Vapor has bigger particles than smoke and is absorbed more through the mouth and nose than the lungs. I inhaled into the lungs very little. I never did a direct inhale. You'd want to treat vapor more like a cigar or pipe with a mouth inhale. If you talk to your dr. and decide to go that route, I would get something that isn't prefilled that gives you control over what you decide to put into it.

April, there's nothing to get addicted to in an e-cig. The only addictive thing in there is nicotine. It's not trading one addiction for another any more than patch, gums, lozenges, or the nicotine inhaler is. It doesn't prolong a quit any more than abusing any of those methods do either. Yeah, anything but cold turkey keeps you on nicotine longer and I guess can be considered prolonging the quit. You throw "un-approved" around like it's a bad thing. It's "un-approved" because it is not being marketed as a smoking cessation product. If it were it would have to be sold in specific pre-filled doses and the individual would have no control over what's being put in them. The FDA attempted to classify them that way, and were denied by the Supreme Court twice. That's not a fight over safety, it's a fight over the almighty $. If the FDA were concerned about safety, they'd do something about Chantix.

[greenlover]

Don't know about how e cigs & asthma interact BUT for me once I quit inhaling ANYTHING BUT AIR into my lungs my asthma is alot better-even my Dr. says I hardly wheeze anymore.